Govt urged not to allow import of eggs, chicks from India

Entrepreneurs in the poultry industry has urged the government to cancel the decision of allowing import of chicks and eggs from India to protect the Tk 150 billion poultry industry of the country, reports BSS. Speaking at a roundtable on 'Poultry Industry: Present Crisis and Future Crisis', they described the government's decision as 'suicidal' and said it will hurt the growing poultry industry. Breeders Association of Bangladesh (BAB) organised the roundtable at the National Press Club in the city Sunday. BAB Adviser Moshiur Rahman presided over the function, while BAB president Kazi Zahedul Hasan, secretary Saidur Rahman Babu, Advisor of Breeders Association Moshiur Rahman and vice president of Bangladesh Poultry Association Shahrul Haque were, among others, also present. Dr Muhammad Mahboob Ali and Professor of the School of Business and Economics at Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology read out the keynote paper on the topic of the seminar. Zahedul Hasan said the poultry industry is now passing through a critical period against the backdrop of high price of raw materials, bird flu outbreak and food security. Life of approximately six million people engaged in the sector would be threatened if the decision is not changed, he added. The speakers said around 40 per cent poultry farms have already been closed due to various challenges. They said the sector suffered losses of over Tk 50 billion during 2007-2010, while this year the bird flu outbreak has already caused losses of Tk 7.0 billion. The Commerce Ministry has once again permitted imports of 10 million hatching eggs and one-day chicks, they said terming the decision as 'unfortunate'.